Squid Game Experience Center opens in New York City

I visited ‘Squid Game: The Experiences,’ an immersive experience space that opened in Midtown, Manhattan on Friday. The game “Red Light, Green Light” was in full swing. The stage from the drama was recreated entirely, with visitors being removed if they had been caught moving by a sensor, and the presence of the 2-meter-high doll named Young-hee. Visitors could also try five types of games inspired by the drama, such as marble shooting.

Adrian, a resident of Miami, Florida, who won the game that day, grinned with excitement. "It was really fun,” she said. “I really like Korean food and culture.”

Netflix opened the experience center in New York on Friday ahead of the release of the sequel by director Hwang Dong-hyuk on December 26. The experience center was first launched in Los Angeles in December last year and opened in New York and Madrid. It will continue in Sydney this December and in Korea early next year.

Up to 1,500 visitors are permitted per day, and three weeks' worth of tickets to the New York Experience Center, which cost $29 to $59, have been completely sold out. Phil, who visited the Experience Center to celebrate his third anniversary with his girlfriend, said that he had always wanted to try Korean games, which were very cool. “I want to come again with my friends,” he said.


Woo-Sun Lim imsun@donga.com